Irenora
'Description' 'Appearance' WIP. 'Personality' WIP. 'Biography' Before the Storm Approximately twenty-seven thousand years ago, Irenora, the firstborn child of Danarshi and Aelleena, was born within Amanare, the capital city of Amanalar, upon the surface of Argus. She had many relatives in Amanalar, from grandparents to uncles, aunts, cousins and more. Although the eredar had not invented surnames, they were no less conscious of the blood with whom they shared, and many still upheld unrivalled respect for their relatives; this was no different for the bloodline of Irenora. Many within her family were accomplished individuals. Her father, Danarshi, was a seasoned harbinger and a decorated member of the Amanalar Peacekeepers, an elite task force who were responsible for completing important missions concerning the safety of Amanalar. The Amanalar Peacekeepers were led and created by her grandfather, Duum'viaer, who was a harbinger of legendary status, and one of the founders and members of the Council of Amanalar. Her mother, Aelleena, was an artist who was skilled at certain crafts, such as painting and sculpting. Her grandmother, Shi'var, was a wise and renowned philosopher. For a thousand years, Irenora spent the majority of her time maturing within the safety and comfort of Amanare, until Danarshi offered to share his knowledge in the art of a harbinger. Though Irenora openly confessed an inspiration for her father and his heroics, the initial one thousand years of her life had dictated that her calling did not rest with the practice of melee weaponry and close-quarters combat. Though Danarshi found himself disappointed over the decision of his daughter, he made no further attempt at persuading her and accepted her decision; he would not force it upon her as his own father, Duum'viaer, had upon him. Secretly, it was magic that had inspired the young woman the most. From her childhood to her adulthood, her uncle, Mordaros, had told her much of his life as a pyromancer, as well as his studies at the magical city of Xzaarven, a famed dwelling for mages in Amanalar. Although these stories had intrigued the young Irenora, she had never possessed the confidence to pursue her interests within the first millennium of her life. Mystification Shortly after Irenora declined her father's offer to mentor her in the art of a harbinger, a day struck when Irenora was confronted by Mordaros, who informed the curious woman of a magical ritual that was to occur in the woodland nearby Xzaarven, performed by the most illustrious of the city's mages; if a fascination in magic was to truly flourish within her, then this was how it would happen. With utmost reassurance from her uncle, a nervous Irenora heeded his word and set out for the aforementioned woods, where she sought to witness the ritual from the concealment of the undergrowth. Xzaarven was not the only location in Amanalar that was seated near forestland. The region was bordered by sprawling mountain ranges, with forests at many of their bases. Deep down, the woman questioned her motives, after Danarshi and Aelleena had often made clear the dangers that dwelled within the thickets of Amanalar; they were, indeed, home to a plethora of predators. Despite the tales of peril, her faith in her uncle had convinced her that she would stumble upon no danger, so she continued on with her journey. Fortunately, Irenora did indeed find a gathering of mages at a clearing in the woods near Xzaarven, as she had anticipated. The mages sat side by side in a circular formation, surrounding a series of runic patterns that were etched into the soil itself, luminous from the arcane powers that coursed within them. Unbeknown to Irenora, the mages had detected her presence since the very moment that she stepped into the forest; their magics had vastly heightened their senses over the average eredar. Irenora stalked them from within the nearby undergrowth, as she had planned, though it would do her no favours. The gathered mages remained purposely ignorant towards the presence of Irenora and proceeded with their magical ritual. The sight that followed was awe-inspiring, as the forest clearing was touched with an intricate display of varying shades of light and colours, those of which seemed to work against the very laws of physics themselves. At the climax, the very mages themselves were consumed in arcane radiance, gradually levitating off the ground in harmony and then locking in place. Irenora was astonished; this display was superior to anything that Mordaros had shown her before. Her heart urged for her to approach the mages, though her mind told her otherwise, fearful that she would disturb them. The woman decisively slipped away into the surrounding thicket and retreated to safety, no less unsuspecting that the mages had been watching her movements. Xzaarven Order of Arcane Throughout the following days, the perplexing display of magic within the forest had utterly consumed the mind of Irenora. Night after night, the woman dreamed of not only what she had witnessed, though what she herself could be capable of, if she were to invest herself in the art of arcane magic. Following much thought and decision, she ventured to Xzaarven, keen on meeting the mages who performed the ritual. Much to her surprise, she received a warm welcome upon her arrival; they had been expecting her. Indeed, all that had occurred was a cunning plot by Mordaros and a few of his fellow mages in the Xzaarven Order of Arcane, who wished only for Irenora to realise her interest in magic. Whilst such a scheme may have frustrated some, Irenora was mystified and impressed. She was offered a place in the ranks of the Xzaarven Order of Arcane by the Triumvirate of Xzaarven itself, which she wholeheartedly accepted. With a particular interest in wielding raw arcane magic, she became an arcanist and initiated her studies at the magical university in Xzaarven. Only following her induction into the Order of Arcane did Danarshi and Aelleena recognize the scope of their daughter's intrigue in magic, and though it was of an initial surprise to them, they ultimately pledged their full support. Though Irenora was strictly an arcanist, Mordaros willingly taught his niece much of what he knew of fire magic, until she had learned all that she deemed necessary from him. She was an undeniably swift learner, comparable with her uncle himself, who was renowned for similar feats. It was clear that Irenora indeed possessed a serious potential as a mage. The Burning Legion Over a thousand years later, the darkest event in the history of Argus transpired, when Sargeras approached the Triumvirate with promises of untold power in exchange for the service and loyalty of the eredar within his army, the Burning Legion. Propaganda filled the streets of Amanalar’s settlements, and as witnessed by Irenora, the mages of Xzaarven were the most susceptible to it. The Triumvirate of Xzaarven plotted to side with Sargeras and manipulated the Xzaarven Order of Arcane, convincing many of its members to conform to their plan. However, in fear that their ideals would clash with those of the Council of Amanalar, they instructed their disciples to remain secretive of their treacherous plans. Some within the Order of Arcane, including Irenora, were uncomfortable with their scheme, though none of them dared reveal it to the populace of Amanalar, in fear for their own safeties. Throughout the days that followed, thousands of Amanalar's citizens, primarily from Xzaarven, were incidentally vanishing. Irenora learned that the majority of them were subtly venturing to the grand city of Mac'Aree, with the help of the Xzaarven Order of Arcane, where they swore their allegiance to the Burning Legion. Mordaros was among the first who disappeared, though Irenora was unable to perceive if he had left for Mac'Aree, or if the Triumvirate of Xzaarven had silenced him for opposing them. Though few outside the Order of Arcane were fully aware of the situation, Danarshi and Aelleena had perceived that something sinister was approaching. Irenora met with her parents, her grandparents and the Amanalar Peacekeepers in the very centre of Amanare. During these moments, freakish sounds from an abnormal storm loomed over the horizon, intensifying as it crept closer towards Amanalar. The Great Escape Fortunately for Irenora and her family, the defiant Prophet Velen had recently formulated a strategy, suggesting that those who were to venture to Mac’Aree would find a means of escape from Argus. Although Irenora had long since deemed Argus as her rightful home, she could sense war on the horizon; soon, chaos would wash over them, and the abnormal storm in the skies above was a sure sign of this. Despite the influence of the Triumvirate of Xzaarven and the Xzaarven Order of Arcane, she refused to forsake her family over mere offerings of power. Afraid that an apocalypse was hastily approaching, Duum'viaer took charge and formulated a stratagem: Danarshi would escort Irenora, Shi'var and Aelleena out of Amanare whilst congregating all civilians that he would stumble across, before leading them all to Mac'Aree via any means necessary. Meanwhile, Duum'viaer and the remainder of the Amanalar Peacekeepers would make their final stand in the centre of Amanare, in hopes of causing a distraction in favour of the fleeing group, and as a final act of defiance against those who would harm Amanalar. Irenora watched in shaken silence as a reluctant Danarshi revolted against Duum'viaer, but the old harbinger was resolute in his ways. With sorrow, Irenora, Danarshi, Shi'var and Aelleena wished their tragic, heartfelt farewells upon Duum'viaer and initiated their journey. Irenora followed her father as he rallied all civilians who stood in their path. As they reached the outer walls of Amanare, they had amassed approximately three hundred eredar. They had no option but to abandon thousands of innocents to their fates, including the remainder of their family members, to which they all shared crippling guilt. They did not tarry after leaving Amanare, and neither did the accompanying civilians, who were stricken with anxiety. As they trod into the plains of Amanalar, Irenora attempted to teleport them all to Mac'Aree, though found herself too unpracticed to transport such a large number of people over such a vast distance. Without a reliable means of teleportation at their disposal, they had no choice but to pass through the forests and mountains of Amanalar, from which they would walk the long stretch to Mac'Aree. After accepting her shortcoming, Irenora warned her family and the refugees of the treachery of the Triumvirate of Xzaarven and the Xzaarven Order of Arcane, advising that they avoid Xzaarven as a whole. Any semblance of peace had come to a sudden halt, however, as the skies were suddenly darkened with winged monstrosities that were unlike anything any of them had ever witnessed, ranging from felbats to fiends and doomguards, demons in their purest of forms. Despite Danarshi's steadfast attempts at leading his family and the civilians away from the approaching demons, they were too swift to outrun. A doomguard slammed in front of them, mere metres away from the Harbinger. The demon snapped its sharpened teeth at him, questioning his loyalties to the Burning Legion. With a ferocious slash, Danarshi cut the creature down, infuriating its surrounding kin, who descended upon the innocent eredar with felbats in tow. He then yelled for the amassed group to flee, which they did. As they drew closer to the cover of Amanalar's forests, many civilians were scooped away and slain by the winged demons. Irenora was quick to join the fray, assaulting the attackers with her arcane magic. The most courageous of the civilians had also lent their aid against them, though, with most of them unarmed, there was little that they could do. By the time they passed into the concealment of the forests, thirty eredar had already perished. Fortunately, the winged predators could harm them no longer within the thicket. Their respite was short-lived, however, as colossal formations of rock and cinder rained down upon the woodland from the skies above, alight with fel. These were revealed as more than mere meteorites, reanimating as infernals. They climbed out of their craters and on to the surface, spreading emerald wildfires throughout the vegetation. Danarshi led the remaining two hundred and seventy eredar to an overpass and fled across the border of Amanalar, successfully evading the demons who were preying on them, though only after twenty more of the refugees had fallen to asphyxiation from the foul smoke that flooded the forests from the spreading fel fires, lowering the survivor count to two hundred and fifty. As the skies were made visible to them once more, they were revealed as choked with clouds of darkened ash and crackling fel lightning, from which infernals rained down upon the distant cities and settlements. Amanalar had met its downfall. Unfortunately for the survivors, their journey was far from over. Atop the overpass where they stood, they seized the opportunity to recover their strength and set eye upon their homeland for what they assumed was the final time, before continuing towards Mac’Aree. For three hazardous days, they travelled across Argus, avoiding the demonic patrols however they could, though forced to fight for their safety on a multitude of occasions, losing dozens of additional lives in the process. Fatigue had started to afflict them several miles into their trek. A harsh reality soon struck Danarshi, as well as a difficult choice: if they were to stop, then they would risk failing to reach Velen in Mac’Aree, which would have sealed their fates upon a dying Argus. In knowing this, he proceeded with the harrowing decision of abandoning those who were too weary to follow. This was a necessary sacrifice that Irenora could not disagree with, despite how much it pained her. Aelleena, on the other hand, argued out of horror over the idea, but she could not sway her husband, despite the additional guilt she laid upon him. The Final Stretch Once Mac’Aree was finally visible on the horizon, approximately one hundred of the survivors from Amanalar remained standing. Much to their dismay, not even the grand capital of Argus itself was spared from the wrath of the demons, as fel fires had spread across much of its streets and structures. A glimmer of hope yet remained for them, however, as the chaos within the city appeared fresh - many of its spires still stood proud and screams reverberated throughout the air. It was unlikely that Velen had yet fled the planet, though their time was ever-fleeting – this was the final stretch. Sustained by adrenaline, the survivors approached Mac’Aree, adamant on finding Velen. The demonic presence in Mac’Aree was stronger than anything that they had yet seen. From the moment that they stepped hoof through its gates, they were assaulted from all foreseeable directions by an amassed assortment of demons that included imps, felhounds, felguards, shivarra and more. There was, however, one species of demon in particular that sent shivers down the spines of the survivors: the man’ari, eredar who had succumbed to Sargeras. With eyes of flaming fel, skin of red, grey and orange, charred hands and hooves, the man’ari lashed against them without remorse. Irenora showed no mercy of her own for these eredar, for they were her people no longer. Despite the dire circumstances, Irenora and the survivors persevered, pushing their way through the collapsing streets of Mac’Aree. For almost every demon that fell, the lives of civilians were claimed as payment. Although their numbers continued to dwindle, their wills remained unwavering, as they were resolute on reaching Velen. Following a debilitating series of minutes, at last, their destination was set in sight, south-east of the Seat of the Triumvirate, within an arena, where a shining, resplendent light could be seen radiating through the archways of metal and crystal that surrounded its perimeter. From hundreds of metres away, thousands upon thousands of eredar were within Irenora's sight, frantically fleeing through the archways into the safety of the luminous light, where no demon could pass, lest they were dissolved to ash by a device known as the Argunite Matrix, which shielded the arena. As the survivors drew closer to the source of the light, an abnormal sensation of courage and resolve washed over them, renewing their vigour and intensifying the more that they approached. Mere moments ago, they were trudging with fatigue – now, they were speeding into a running pace. Cries of pain, fear and hatred sounded in all directions as Danarshi raised his shield in front of him, forging a path through the amassing assemblage of demons and eredar for his family and the survivors who remained at his rear. Irenora, Danarshi and Aelleena were the first to step into the arena through one of its archways, and as they did, a single scream amidst hundreds had sent a chill of dread down their spines; it was the voice of Shi’var. They could do nothing more than stand in shock as she was impaled by the polearm of a doomguard, mere inches away from the archway. The helpless woman was then hauled into the surrounding crowd, never to be seen again. The panic-stricken shouts of Irenora, Danarshi and Aelleena resounded across the area, calling for their loved one, though there was no response. At this moment, something had shifted within the Arcanist, as she witnessed the first true tragedy of her life; she was no longer the innocent person that she had always been. Though the desire to mourn Shi’var was overwhelming for the three, there was no opportunity for such – they had to flee Argus, lest they would all perish. Fleeing Fate Those who had successfully passed through the archways into the arena had found themselves within the presence of L’ura, a naaru. Whilst levitating several feet in the air, L’ura danced and weaved about in a supple manner, its crystalline appendages revolving as holy magic flashed from its form. With the Light at its disposal and the assistance of the Argunite Matrix, L’ura fended off the hordes of stampeding demons to the utmost of its ability, allowing many of the fleeing eredar to pass unharmed; many others, however, such as Shi’var, were not so fortunate. Though powerful, L’ura was not impervious. Soon, its might was matched, when Kil’jaeden himself appeared on the field, accompanied by an elite force of fellow man’ari, including Khazaduum, a monstrous man'ari who dwarfed his kin in size and ferocity. Khazaduum pierced through the defences of the arena and destroyed the Argunite Matrix, rendering the survivors vulnerable. Irenora was no less powerless in the situation, able only to watch with hope as Prophet Velen stepped forth with the Ata’mal crystal in hand and summoned the aid of another naaru, K’ure. In mere moments, a grandiose dimensional ship, the Genedar, appeared within the skies above and whisked the survivors away to safety. A heavy hum sounded throughout the Genedar as three naaru, K’ure, D'ore and K'ara, powered and piloted the dimensional ship from within it. The metallic floor shuddered underneath the hooves of Irenora as she stood at the rear of her parents. With Aelleena comforting him at his side, Danarshi was motionlessly and silently watching through a glass aperture as L’ura sacrificed itself against Kil’jaeden and the demonic forces on the location that would be renamed Triumvirate's End. Steadily, the Genedar ascended through the atmosphere of Argus, revealing a world that was shrouded in clouds of smoke, ash and fel lightning. Danarshi did not divert his focus until his homeworld appeared as nothing more than a faraway speck within the vastness of space, and Irenora could only watch on in pity. Of the approximate three hundred Amanalar citizens who had fled Amanare, only thirty-eight had survived, including Irenora, Danarshi and Aelleena; most of them, however, would, too, perish, throughout the many millennia to come. As one of the few remaining survivors of Amanalar, Irenora felt as though she owed it to herself, her homeland and her people, to fulfil a higher role amidst her people. Throughout the years to come, she would aim to rise as a prestigious magus, who would devote herself to halting the Burning Legion in their pursuit on slaying all who had slipped from their grasp on Argus. 'The Exiled Ones' Shortly following their exodus from Argus, the uncorrupted eredar renounced their own race in spite of the man’ari, renaming themselves draenei, or “exiled ones” in Eredun. The draenei set out on an unknowingly long journey throughout the Great Dark Beyond that would last for the course of nearly twenty-five thousand years, on a quest to locate a world that they could call home. Kil’jaeden, hellbent on revenge against the traitorous draenei, sent his most trusted accomplice, Talgath, in pursuit of them. Talgath would torment them for countless years, rendering it as nigh impossible for them to safely settle upon a world. No matter where they ran, Talgath would find them, and the Burning Legion would follow, leaving a path of destruction in their wake, decimating all worlds that the draenei dared to touch. The Holy Light The naaru hastily arose as the most respected symbol to the draenei people, standing out as godlike beings who symbolized positive virtues such as hope, righteousness and nobility. The naaru granted the draenei a gift that had never fully graced them on Argus: the Holy Light. The naaru served the draenei as mentors and protectors, instructing the amenable in the ways of the Light, whilst defending the race from the Burning Legion. Many of the draenei who lived aboard the Genedar had slowly started succumbing to the Light as their primary choice of practice. With the naaru D’ore as her mentor, Aelleena swore herself to his service and was the first of her family to embrace the Light, arising as an anchorite during the initial years of their exodus from Argus. Danarshi, however, who was suspicious of unfamiliar magics after the fall of Argus, was more reluctant than his wife and remained as a harbinger. Kai'soran Shortly following Aelleena's admission as an anchorite, the brother of Irenora, Kai'soran, was born. Unlike his sister, Kai'soran was forcefully influenced by his parents at the age of five hundred, with Danarshi enthusing him about the violent though honourable ways of the harbinger, while Aelleena instead encouraged him to arise as a warm, peaceful and generous anchorite. Ultimately, in an effort to equally please them, Kai'soran took the mantle of one of the first draenei vindicators, pledging himself to K'ure and embracing his teachings of the Light. Over four thousand, five hundred years into the future, Danarshi collapsed under the sway of Aelleena and Kai'soran, laying down his melee weapons and plate armour in exchange for a staff and robe and following in the steps of his wife as a holy anchorite, swearing himself to the service of D'ore. Although her family had devoted themselves to the Light, Irenora remained faithful to her original calling. While her family formed an understanding of the Light, Irenora worked to perfect her proficiency in the arcane. Additionally, in memory of her lost uncle, Mordaros, she delved further into the art of warping arcane into the elements of fire and frost, increasing her competency in it. Great Dark Beyond For countless millennia, the draenei wandered the Great Dark Beyond onboard the Genedar, continuing their search for another world that they could call home. Throughout this period, Irenora witnessed hundreds of unique locations and phenomenon that she never would have dreamed to have seen on Argus. She saw worlds that were teeming with life and wonder, whilst others were scarcely habitable. Regardless of what was found on the planets the draenei discovered, none were spared from the Burning Crusade. Still, for thousands of years, the Burning Legion pursued them, annihilating all worlds that the draenei touched. Many aboard the Genedar found themselves weary from their endless escape, though most had forged a powerful will as a result of it. Irenora was no exception, the Arcanist having proven herself as a resilient and capable individual after millennia of development. She wore a more weathered though adorned appearance, often dressed in complex robes and garments, as well as an intricate crystal headband. The Departure At some point during the journey of the draenei through the Great Dark, the prime naaru Xe'ra, who was aware of their exodus from Argus, intended to induct them into her holy faction known as the Army of the Light, which stood valiantly against the Burning Legion. Comprised primarily of surviving races who had lost their worlds against the Burning Crusade, Xe'ra saw the draenei as a promising addition to the Army of the Light, and thus proceeded to select their most powerful and elite warriors to join its forces. While Irenora, Danarshi and Aelleena were not among those who were chosen to join the Army of the Light, Kai'soran was, in fact, among those who were selected. Though he closely considered accepting the offer of the prime naaru, he ultimately saw himself as a protector of innocents rather than a vessel of retribution and chose to decline. Despite her uncertainty as to why her family was seen as unworthy, Irenora speculated that her and Danarshi's faith in the Light was perhaps not as strong as Xe'ra desired, while Aelleena was simply too condoling for the harshness of such a life. Once Xe'ra had finished her recruitment of the draenei, the Genedar was split into another dimensional ship known as the Xenedar, which housed the chosen soldiers. With that, the Xenedar and its draenei crew flew away into the cosmos on their mission to oppose the Burning Legion, leaving behind those who had remained on the Genedar. Though most were proud and appreciative of the courage and heroism of the Army of the Light, many shared sorrow over the departure of their fellow draenei, afraid that they would never see them again. Although Irenora deeply respected them for placing themselves on the frontlines against the demons, she was worried that they would only be throwing their lives away. Grand Arcanist Roughly ten thousand years following the exodus of the draenei from Argus, Irenora had proven herself as a powerful magus and her people deemed her a grand arcanist in acknowledgement of her accomplishments since the day of her initiation in the Xzaarven Order of Arcane. Many, including her family, were amazed that she had obtained such a title in such a short period of time. Aelleena did not achieve the status of grand anchorite until five thousand years later, and Danarshi took twice that time. Kai'soran, on the other hand, arose as a high vindicator only shortly following the grand anchorite status of his mother. Leanarhi Twenty-three thousand years following the departure from Argus, the sister of Irenora, Leanarhi, was born. The young draenei served as a symbol of the resilience of her people, who had survived the Burning Legion for years immeasurable. Unlike Kai'soran, however, Leanarhi was far from the first of draenei children. Already, the majority of her race were seasoned individuals, and her family was no different. Though there was much that she could learn from them, there was also much that she had to prove. Learning from their mistakes from their upbringing of Kai'soran, Danarshi and Aelleena did not attempt to force a particular path on Leanarhi, allowing her the freedom to determine her own fate. Irenora was no different in her attitude, supporting her sister as any sensible sibling would have, though influencing her in no particular way. Leanarhi grew to be a secluded individual of few words or companions, though, like her sister, she was resilient. Unlike her relatives, however, she did not find her interests within the Light or arcane. Her purpose would remain hidden for many years, and she would wait patiently for the day it was revealed. Fall of the Genedar Over twenty-four thousand years following their exodus from Argus, panic spread throughout the Genedar when the naaru K’ara was gravely injured during the dimensional ship's approach of yet another uncharted planet. Her final act was a warning for the draenei to eject her from the vessel before she fell into a state of Void corruption that is common among dying naaru. She lashed out at K'ure and D'ore, who were shielded by Prophet Velen himself. The Prophet ejected her from the ship, as she requested, but it was too late; K'ure and D'ore were weakened by the assault, unable to properly land the Genedar. The dimensional ship was doomed to crash into the unknown planet. 'Exiles' Refuge' The Genedar was soon to pierce the blue skies of the world that it approached. Though it plummeted into the planet's soil, the dimensional ship, and most of the draenei inside, survived. Unfortunately, among the casualties of the crash was D'ore, which devastated Danarshi, Aelleena and hundreds of other draenei. Not all was lost, however, as the planet was found not only to be unscathed by the Burning Legion but habitable as well. As the draenei drifted from the vessel, their eyes were met by rolling fields of lush, green grass, rich soil and beams of warming sunlight; they had arrived within the land known as Nagrand, meaning "Land of Winds" in Orcish. Despite the crash, the worries of the draenei were swept away by such a stunning sight. Draenor, meaning "Exiles' Refuge" in Draenei, was the name that the draenei bestowed upon this new world. From this moment forth, they would consider it their home. Irenora was optimistic, yet cautious; after all that she had witnessed, she could not conclude that their struggles were over. Until the Burning Legion would find them again, however, she was satisfied with the idea of a peaceful life on Draenor; after the crash of the Genedar, she had little other option - no draenei did. Expedition Shortly after their arrival on Draenor, the draenei planned to send scouting parties across the continent to map its features. While Kai'soran remained within Nagrand to aid with the formation of draenei settlements there, Irenora, Danarshi, Aelleena and Leanarhi accompanied the first of the groups to venture past its perimeter, anxious to discover what was awaiting them beyond the bordering mountain ranges. In consequence of this, their time in Nagrand was only brief. During their departure, they bestowed a touching farewell upon Kai'soran. Due to the impervious bond that the family had formed with one another during their long journey throughout the Great Dark Beyond, their separation was difficult for them. Without further delay, they set off with their fellow draenei into the distant, unknown lands of Draenor, on an expedition that would last for several weeks. The journey was one to be remembered, as they passed through lands of luscious jungles, barren deserts, freezing blizzards, towering spires, everlasting night and gleaming forests of golden flora, filled with the comforting sounds of countless forms of life. The land of gleaming forests became known as Talador to the draenei. Located in the centre of the continent, Talador was considered as the heart of Draenor, both literally and, eventually in draenei society, figuratively. Dwelling of Light Once the draenei had completed their expeditions and successfully mapped the continent, Irenora, Danarshi, Aelleena, Kai'soran and Leanarhi were all left with a difficult choice: the location where they would deem home. While Danarshi and Aelleena joined the Auchenai and aided in the assembly of Auchindoun in Talador, and Leanarhi returned to Nagrand to help Kai'soran and the draenei in their construction of settlements, Irenora instead assisted in the creation of Shattrath City. Located upon the ruins of an ancient ogre city known as Goria, Shattrath, meaning "Dwelling of Light" in Draenei, would serve as the cultural pillar of the draenei on Draenor. Irenora utilized her magical prowess to assist in the construction of its initial districts, most notably the Shattrath Residential District and Shattrath Overlook. As a venerated grand arcanist and a founder of Shattrath, Irenora possessed limited political power inside the city, as well as permanent residency upon the Shattrath Overlook. With plentiful purpose there, she would linger within its walls for over a century, maintaining a steady watch over its progress and seeing to the safety of its populace. A Short Reunion A century following the crash of the Genedar, Kai'soran visited Irenora in Shattrath City during a journey to the Temple of Karabor in Shadowmoon Valley, where he hoped to offer his service to the Holy Light. Irenora welcomed her brother with open arms and showed him around Shattrath, during which he learned of the power and influence she had obtained there. Though she insisted that he stay, Kai'soran kindly informed her that he could not, in honour of his quest to reach Karabor. Irenora wished positive fortune upon him as he left to continue his journey within the same day. The Horde One hundred and eighty-eight years following the arrival of the draenei on Draenor, many of them had grown complacent, failing to foresee the return of the Burning Legion. Talgath had, at last, found his prey, and his master, Kil'jaeden, wished them only one fate: their demise. Rather than raining demons upon them, however, he worked from the shadows, manipulating the orcs to rebel against them. Granting the powers of a warlock to the crippled orc Gul'dan, Kil'jaeden used him as the primary pawn in his schemes. Over years, lies and deceit were spread throughout the orcish clans, until they were convinced that the draenei were plotting against them, to which they united under the banner of the Horde in preparation of facing their adversary. After eight years of plotting, conspiring and provocation against the draenei, the Horde marched upon them in full force, initiating their war at Karabor in Shadowmoon Valley. Though the draenei had managed to defend Karabor for several minutes, despite the orcs outnumbering them, the tides were turned when the Horde unleashed the Dark Star upon them, which was, in fact, the naaru K'ara in her Void state. With K'ara at their disposal, the Horde utilised her shadow magic to decimate Karabor and its forces, sending the surviving draenei into full retreat. The fleeing draenei sailed to Shattrath City by sea, where they were openly allowed refuge. Irenora was appalled as she heard their stories, fearful for the safety of Kai'soran in particular. There was one other matter which also concerned her, however: the Hand of Gul'dan, a fel volcano that was risen by Gul'dan himself in the centre of Shadowmoon Valley. It was upon learning this that she and her kin realised that the Burning Legion had found them on Draenor. Now on full alert, the draenei fortified their defences at Shattrath, anxiously awaiting the day when the Horde would set their sights on the city. Apprehension Within the following weeks, Irenora was unexpectedly approached by Danarshi atop the Shattrath Overlook. After having not seen one another for several years, their reunion was a heartwarming one. Although this was a joyous occasion for them, tensions had quickly risen, as Danarshi shared his concerns over the Horde with his daughter, disclosing his fear that Auchindoun had a higher probability of falling to the orcs than Shattrath City. He then proceeded to inform her of his recent falling-out with Aelleena, which resulted in her refusing to leave Auchindoun with him. Irenora could feel the pain and anxiety within her father's voice as he spoke, and she sensed that it was deeper than it appeared on the surface, leading her to suspect that Auchindoun had wrought a hefty toll on his sanity. After Danarshi renounced his status as a grand anchorite for the opportunity to arise as a soulpriest within the Auchenai, which led to him spending decades among the restless spirits of deceased draenei, it was clear to Irenora that he was not the same person who she recalled from over a century ago. Irenora, who was well aware of the chaos inflicted upon the draenei in Shadowmoon Valley, found herself sympathizing with the worries of Danarshi. Although a hefty weight was placed on her heart due to concerns of her own over the safety of her mother in Auchindoun, she did not criticize her father for Aelleena's supposed stubbornness, as she recognized that he had attempted to sway her - or so she thought. With Danarshi unwilling to return to Auchindoun in fear that it was vulnerable to the Horde, Irenora willingly offered him refuge within her home atop the Shattrath Overlook. Soon afterwards, the strategy of Prophet Velen spread throughout the city, which proposed that those who were capable of combat would remain in Shattrath to aid in its defence, whilst many of its civilians would flee to the hidden sanctuary of Telredor in the Zangar Sea. Unfortunately for Irenora and Danarshi, they were far from defenceless. They, among thousands, including the more unfortunate civilians, anxiously awaited the day when Shattrath would be invaded, whilst Velen and his refugees departed for Telredor. Alas, the moment soon arrived when the Horde appeared outside the city in staggering numbers, surrounding its walls and sending its populace into a panic as they prepared for the approaching assault. The Fall The defenders of Shattrath dashed in every conceivable direction in desperation, doing all that they could to secure a formidable defence against the overwhelming force that they faced; they were astronomically outnumbered. During the dawn of the attack, Irenora located Danarshi on a platform at the rear of a building atop the Shattrath Overlook, where he spectated the amassing armies. She urged him to find safety in the Shattrath City dome, though he refused, insisting that he aid the draenei in their fight against the Horde. Despite the persistence of Irenora in convincing her father to reconsider his course of action, she could not have hoped to snap sense into him, as he was overwhelmed by anger over the situation. In defeat, Irenora permitted her father to accompany her in the defence of the city. Although his skills as a harbinger had grown rusty within the halls of Auchindoun, Danarshi brought with him a weapon that he could use in a head-on charge against the orcish hordes; his recklessness concerned Irenora, and it revealed a side of him that she had never seen before. Irenora and Danarshi congregated with the draenei defenders who were present upon the eastern bridge of the Shattrath City Centre. Incidentally, the eastern and northern bridges were the most crucial in the defence of the inner sections of the city, and if the orcs were successful in crossing either one of them, then the Sha'tari Skymesa, Shattrath Residential District and Shattrath Overlook would inevitably fall. As the Horde began their siege, the sky lit up from arcane projectiles of arkonite defence crystals colliding with flaming spheroids launched from catapults. Despite their efforts, the crystals could not compete with the vast quantity of fireballs, as dozens bombarded the city, spreading wildfires and shrouding the skies in smoke. Moments later, crude bombs rained down from above, releasing clouds of red mist as they collided with the city, suffocating all draenei who were caught within their radius and nullifying their connection to the Light. Although the red mist had fortunately failed to reach the bridge where Irenora and Danarshi were stationed, the clash against orcs and draenei there was no less ferocious, as the sounds of warfare filled the air, from weapons meeting with shields, armour and flesh, to the screams of agony which followed, spilling from the combined lips of the two warring races. As the orcs closed in, Irenora could see their demonic taint clearly; their skin ran green from their recent corruption from drinking the blood of Mannoroth, and their eyes glowed a furious red. Wary of the frenzied orcs, she avoided the front lines - as did Danarshi, despite his rage. As Irenora struck the orcs with arcane magic, Danarshi cooperatively smote them with the Light. Irenora was undoubtedly among the most powerful of the combatants present upon the bridge, possessing the ability to literally detonate her victims into a pile of gore if she so desired. They did not relent against the charging orcs for several minutes, yet, no matter how many of their corpses would pile up on top of one another, their numbers had simply refused to diminish. Slowly, the draenei force was withering away, as their healers' abilities started to wane. Soon, Irenora had no choice but to yell for the assistance of her father, who arrogantly chose to fight the orcs over assisting the wounded draenei. Though he struggled to compose himself in the midst of the chaos, Danarshi could see that his daughter was right; their healers needed his aid. Ignoring his dwindling mana reserves, he mustered all of his strength and shone the Light down upon his fellow defenders who fought on, focussing primarily on those who were the most injured. With the help of Danarshi, the bridge was held successfully for an additional two minutes, until he, and his accompanying healers, were physically unable to continue; this was the moment that their hope was lost. Without the Light to heal and fortify the defenders, they were now falling at an alarming rate. As a result of his depleted vitality, Danarshi dropped to his knees and his weapon slipped from his hand. Irenora ceased her spellcasting at the sight of her weary father. For seconds, she watched the stampeding orcs, until she found herself accepting their defeat. With watering eyes, she conjured an unstable, one-way, one-use portal mere inches in front of herself; without the sufficient time or mana to spare, she could not increase its potential past this. She spoke in a voice of sorrow and despair as she clutched on to the arm of Danarshi with her hand, lifting him up on to his hooves. At first, the man was confused about her intentions, until he saw the portal, and immediately perceived her plans. He pulled against her in desperation, though found himself too weak to overpower her. With tears running down her cheeks, Irenora stared into the eyes of her father. Although he implored that she reconsider her decision, she wrapped her arms around him in the form of a hug, issuing him with a heartfelt farewell before forcing him through the portal, which immediately closed after he stumbled through it. For the following minute, Irenora did not dare relent to the orcish hordes. Up until the very moment when she was among the last of the draenei who were left standing on the bridge, she yelled out with unrelenting fury, vanquishing dozens of orcs with all of the magic that she could muster, sending their corpses flying into the water below. It was a massacre, her slaughter unyielding until the arcane energy that had once coursed from her fingers lessened to little more than mere sparks; her mana had depleted. Irenora dropped to her knees with a thud, as Danarshi had, and accepted her fate. Seconds later, her life was taken from her. Aftermath By the time the orcs claimed the life of Irenora, the Anchorage and Sha'tari Market District had already fallen. Without access to the docks, few of the draenei survivors had any means of escaping the collapsing city. Those of the defence who remained standing had sacrificed themselves for the sole purpose of allowing their citizens more time to flee, fortifying the Shattrath Residential District with their lives - a strategy that was brutally inefficient, though effective. The Shattrath Overlook and the Sha'tari Skymesa, despite their advanced defences, still could not stand against the thousands of marauding orcs that endlessly poured on to the mesas and proceeded to murder each and every draenei that they could find. In the end, despite how valiantly the lasting defenders fought, all districts, including the Shattrath City dome, fell. Shattrath City was lost. Thousands upon thousands of innocent draenei lives were lost amidst the siege, and many of those who had miraculously survived were to succumb to the degenerative symptoms from the red mist that had swept over the city, which was known as the fel plague, deforming them into krokul. Once Shattrath was conquered, the orcs worked to dispose of the countless corpses that littered the city streets, dumping them into piles and setting them aflame. Irenora herself was among those who were incinerated en masse. Category:Characters Category:Draenei Category:Mages Category:Arcanists Category:Xzaarven Order of Arcane Category:Deceased